April 2009

Head Teachers from Ecole Primaire de Ruhanga and Ecole Secondaire de Ruhanga visited Knox Academy and Kings Meadow Primary School from 20-24th April. The Haddington schools have a number of well-developed links with overseas schools and Knox has recently received a British Council International School Award for the second time – the first Scottish school to receive the award twice.

The Rwanda link has received funding from the Department for International Development to allow collaboration with Ruhanga Schools in Rwanda. This link was created over a year ago as a result of contact through the British Council’s Global Gateway website (www.globalgateway.org). A member of the VSO staff working in Kigali offered to assist in setting up a link. Ruhanga was suggested although it was pointed out that communication would not be easy due to the school’s rural location, but that the Head Teachers were very enthusiastic! The schools are located in Burera District in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The secondary school has 415 pupils and 14 teachers (Knox has 830 pupils and 65 staff.)

Photographs and teaching materials have already been exchanged between the schools, and tremendous support received from the Rwandan Honorary Consul in Scotland, Professor Gerda Siann.

The purpose of the visit to Scotland was to allow the Rwandan Heads to meet staff from both Haddington schools and to develop a Partnership Agreement to take the link further. It is also intended to lay the foundations for further co-operation between the schools by focusing on curricular links particularly in the expressive arts subjects such as Art and Design, Drama, PE and Music. The Rwandan guests also visited Edinburgh and had a tour of East Lothian during their stay.

Next month arrangements have been made for one member of staff from Knox Academy and another from Kings Meadow to visit the Rwandan schools as part of the DFID funding for the project.

Further information is available from:
Mr M Duddin
Depute Head Teacher